*RANT* Whatever happened to courtesy

[Wayneos 10]

Is it just me or has anyone else recently over the last few years noticed that no one has any manners or courtesy towards others?

 

I am sick to death of it, my story...I am one of the few young, uneducated males out there that want to work, have always worked and actually enjoy work, finding it is a complete nightmare but when you do actually find a job that is suitable, fits in around family commitments and pays enough to keep your head above water, you apply....

 

1, 2, 3, 4 even 5 days go past and nothing, you might occasionally get a reply to ask you to come down for an interview on the other side of Sheffield so off you trot, pay the bus fare, this is after you've paid for a stamp to send off the application, or paid for the phone call (Ok, only a few pence here and there but when you're unemployed it all adds up, when you're sending on average 30-40 cv's and app's a week) and then you arrive, interview over, you think 'Ok, I done well, i've got this in the bag' and you go home, bus fare again.

 

Again, 1, 2, 3 weeks plus fly by and nothing, you can now assume you haven't got the job.

 

This is where I am getting frustrated, on average there is probably 30-100 people apply for most jobs and many of them is done by email initially but most by phone, when you bear in mind some of these individuals are spending money they can't afford for a company that has no interest in them, why can they not pick up the phone and say something along the lines of 'Sorry but you have not been successful this time'? A company that bags £m's can surely afford to make these calls, even send out a letter...mail merge, so it would take all of an hour to input these address's (Bear in mind they probably already have them on file when they invited you for an interview) and the price of so many 2nd class stamps...

 

Everyone's happy, well ok maybe not happy but they can move on, there isn't enough support out there anymore as it is, but employers are just making it harder.

 

Thanks all, rant over...comments welcome

[Miss_S_83 10]

Agree totally,

 

Boots on Chesterfield Road did this to me, went for interview, crippled myself walking there in bad shoes, had a 2 min interview, and never heard a thing. So rude. A few others have also done it I think, can't remember who.

 

No common courtesy at all.

[funkyukgal 11]

Agreed!

 

I got a call in the morning from this lady, left me a voicemail asking to call her back to discuss job opportunites...called back, she was on another call left a message, no callback..few hours later, called again, shes away from her desk and i left another MORE detailed message. So, i thought right its a case of not wanting to talk to me cos shes found someome else. I told my OH about this and he said to keep trying and it wasnt the case. So, to prove my point, 2 days later, I called again asked for the lady, she answered!! She made up excuses about why she never got back to me and said she's going to call me back once she brings my CV up on her system. SURPRISE SURPRISE she never did!! All she had to say was the position has been taken up, why did she have to lie and say she'll call me back when she knew she wasnt going to?! What is the point?? Makes me laugh sometimes!

[pattricia 575]

I do believe courtesy has completely disappeared nowadays.

[Wayneos 10]

I called a company (Name & Shame: Watkins Jones & Son) on friday afternoon about a construction site labourer, I spoke to a bloke and he had a short chat and asked me to come down on Monday, have a better chat and possibly get me started so I turned up and he was on site, I explained to the woman at the desk and she took the exact same details off me that he did on friday and sent me packing, I will get a phone call today...NOPE.

 

Well thanks a bunch, I left my missus with my daughter and a load of housework to do that I could have been helping her with to waste my time walking approx 3 miles there and 3 miles back....FOR NOTHING

 

thanks for nothing if you're reading

[maggi 10]

Is it just me or has anyone else recently over the last few years noticed that no one has any manners or courtesy towards others?

 

I am sick to death of it, my story...I am one of the few young, uneducated males out there that want to work, have always worked and actually enjoy work, finding it is a complete nightmare but when you do actually find a job that is suitable, fits in around family commitments and pays enough to keep your head above water, you apply....

 

1, 2, 3, 4 even 5 days go past and nothing...

 

[8< rest of eminently sensible rant snipped for brevity 8<]

 

 

I am so sorry I can't help with your immediate plight, but I'll make a few comments on your post which might help (or, if not, at least reinforce your point).

 

For a 'young, uneducated male', you sure know how to write. I find myself working with 'graduates' who haven't the faintest clue about grammatical English, spelling or decent manners. If I was inclined to, I could pick out mistakes (just to outdo the bigger pedants!), but your post was lucid, clear and eloquent.

 

I don't see that there's any justification for companies not acknowledging applications or enquiries. As you say, it's just discourteous.

 

So - what to do? In the olden days (about 25 years ago), there was something called the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, which allowed you to set up your own self-employed business, whilst preserving some benefits as you got started. I don't know if any such thing exists now, but if employers are so rude as to not acknowledge you, then bugger'em! It'll be hard, but find and do the work you want without an employer - if the work's there, and needs doing, do it for money. Work for yourself!

 

Your other option is to stop claiming to be 'uneducated' (when you obviously aren't) and pass some exams!

[Wayneos 10]

Well I have to say, it is a rarity for someone to be so polite and even nice on this forum, THANK YOU maggi.

 

I would love to set up on my own, it is a dream I have had since leaving the army but nothing has ever emerged, and as for funding it, well it's safe to say I don't think that will ever happen, you see I'm not much of a risk taker, so to put my money into something that has a chance of failing just isn't an option, there are things such as the princes trust but from what I am led to believe, that is set up for people less privileged than myself, as in only certain areas such as the manor and pitsmoor.

 

I have to kneel at the mercy of these ignorant, self centered sods for the foreseeable future I'm afraid...

[tom3t0 10]

i saw and old lady drop 5p earlier, i picked it up and passed it her, i says, 'here luv, da's dropped 5p there'

she even had the courtesy to thank me!

 

It's not completely gone yet

[maggi 10]

I would love to set up on my own, it is a dream I have had since leaving the army but nothing has ever emerged, and as for funding it, well it's safe to say I don't think that will ever happen, you see I'm not much of a risk taker

 

So, what did you learn in the Army? Can you clean, cook, organise, hack your way through jungles, build shelters, deliver first aid, kill people (not a lot of demand for this round here, I hope ), make stuff, mend stuff, teach stuff, assess stuff, investigate situations, solve problems, work a computer...

 

Maybe you could set up with what you know, rather than what you have to pay money for.

 

I've just re-read your sig, and you're obviously not specialising

 

If you can't find paid employment that suits you, another option is to volunteer and contribute with the skills you have. You'll be doing good and will likely meet up with the movers & shakers in the sector. If you prove yourself, you might be offered further options.

 

All the best.

[Ms Macbeth 74]

Ricon, you may already have done this, but do you check SCC job site?http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/whats-new/job-vacancies

Look at General and Schools - that bits not only for teachers. The application forms for local authorities are a bit lengthy, but there is information on the site on how to fill them in.

 

Good luck with your job search, I hope you let us know when you're successful!

[Wayneos 10]

Ricon, you may already have done this, but do you check SCC job site?http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/whats-new/job-vacancies

Look at General and Schools - that bits not only for teachers. The application forms for local authorities are a bit lengthy, but there is information on the site on how to fill them in.

 

Good luck with your job search, I hope you let us know when you're successful!

 

Thanks, Ms Mac...

 

I have been on their site a few times and they do have a few jobs that look pretty interesting but they ask for some pretty special skills, I know I could do the half the jobs with my eyes shut and my hands behind my back, but the key requirements they ask for seem a bit out of my range...they look for graduates to do admin work... etc.

 

I will keep looking, but my luck may have changed...I have my first interview coming up.

[Ms Macbeth 74]

Thanks, Ms Mac...

 

I have been on their site a few times and they do have a few jobs that look pretty interesting but they ask for some pretty special skills, I know I could do the half the jobs with my eyes shut and my hands behind my back, but the key requirements they ask for seem a bit out of my range...they look for graduates to do admin work... etc.

 

I will keep looking, but may luck may have changed...I have my first interview coming up.

 

I got a job with one local authority when I was 49, and with another at 54 - no degree, but lots of experience. If you break down the application form and spec - you'll probably find you have most of the required skills even if not in the specific area (if you know what I mean). Judging by your posts you have a much higher standard of literacy than I've seen on many application forms!